Joint for electric conductors



(No Model.)

H. B. COBB. JOINT FOR ELECTRIC CONDUGTORS.-

No. 429,306. Patented June s, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. COBB, OF VILMINGTON, DELAVARE, ASSIGNOR TO THE COBB VULCANITEVIRE COMPANY, OF DELAWTARE.

JOINT FOR ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part ox Letters Patent No. 429,306, dated J une 3,1890.

Application filed November 8, 1889. Serial No. 329,618. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. COBB, a citizen of the United States,residing at filmington, in the county of New Castle and State ofDelaware, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Joints and theMethod of Manufacturin g the Same in Electric Conductors,of which thcfollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvementin the joining` of the class ofconductors employed in electric underground systems, and involving aninsulated wire inclosed in a metal covering.

In the joining of conductors of the class referred to great care has tobe exercised and great difliculty is experienced in producing aso-callcd perfect joint, meaningthereby one that shall bc and remainimpervious to air, gas, and moisture. As hitherto formed the operationhas been cssentiallyslow, entailing consequent expense, and withoutaffording anything like uniformity in perfection in the joints, and,besides, the latter have been clumsy in appearance and large incomparison to the diameter of line provided with them.

The objects of myinvention are materially to simplify the manner ofproducing thej unction, thereby greatly to expedite the operation andreduce the cost thereof and to permit the formation of uniformly perfectjoints.

My invention involves the method of procedure in manufacturing myimproved joint, as also the joint resulting from such procedure. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in elevation of myimproved joint applied to a wire inclosed in atube of hard rubbercovered with lead; Fig. 2, a section taken on the line 2 of Fig. 1 andviewed in the di rection of the arrow. Fig. 3 shows two severed ends ofthe conductor preparatory to its being joined by means of myimprovement. Figs. et, 5, and G represent details employed in themanl'lfacture of the joint; and Fig. 7 is a sectional diagrammaticrepresentation showing the two severed ends illustrated in Fig. 3 ashaving been brought together and there held by a clamping-tool while thejoint is being manufactured.

A and A represent each an end of an electric conductor comprising wireB,inclosed in hard-rubber tubing C, covered with lead D.

rlhe first step preparatory to forming the joint consists in baring theends of the wires B, which may readily be done by pulling the wires out,particularl y when formed of twisted strands, and because there isalways some slack inside the tubing. A metal (copper) ferrule E, of adiameter adapted to admit the wire and provided between its extremitieswith an orifice o", is then slipped over the end of one of the wires. Asection or ferrule F of insulating material, preferably hard-rubbertubing, equaling or about equaling in diameter that of the lead coveringD, and reduced toward opposite extremities, as shown at 0c, Fig. 5, toor about to the internal diameter of the lead covering, is then slippedover an end of the wire B and of the rubber tubing C, covering it, withone of the reduced ends o3 of the ferrule slipped inside the metalcovering D to get it out of the way while the ends are being secured inthe manner hereinafter described. A ferrule G, of metal, (preferablyeXternally-tinncd copper,) of a diameter adapting it to fit aroundthelead covering D, is also slipped over an end B and upon the lead D.All the parts described are then in position to be readily utilized inmaking the joint. The ends of the wires B are first brought together, asshown in Fig. 7 and there held by means of a suitable clamping-tool H,adapted, as shown, to grip the ends of the conductor around the externallead covering D, and to be adj usted to bring the gripping portionscloser together by operating a nut or turn-bucklep for the purpose. Thisclamping-tool involves no features of novelty forming part of my presentinvention,but may be of the kind well known for analogous purposes, andneed not, therefore, .be herein minutely described. Then the ends of thetwo wires B have been thus vbrought together, the metal ferrule E isslipped over them, preferably far enough to bring its oriiice rcoincident with the line of contact of the two ends. Solder is thenpoured into the orifice r to secure the ends of the wire together. Theclamping-tool IiI is then manipulated to IOO draw the separated ends ofthe lead tubing D toward each other' (and with them, of cou rse, theends of the inclosed rubber tubing) until they meet at the offsets orshoulders at opposite ends of the enlarged portion ot' the hardrubberferrule F, the reduced ends ltot which are then slipped inside the leadtubing' D. Finally the copper ferrule G is slipped over the hard-rubberferrule F, when all is in readiness to have the external covering' orsheath I of lead molded upon the joint to extend some distance over theseparated ends of the lead tubing' D, the molding being performed in anyconvenient manner, preterably by inclosing the joint in a suitable moldand pouring the lead into it. rIhe joint is then finished and the mold(if used) and clamping-tool II are removed.

A joint may thus be formed readily and rapidly, is neat and symmetricalin appearance, does not materially increase the diameter of theconductor, and affords perfectprotection to the conductor, which is atleast as perfect at its joints as elsewhere throughout its length.

lVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The method of joining the separated ends of a metal-covered electricconductor, which consists in bringing together and securing' the ends ofthe wire, inclosing the said cou nected ends in insulating material, andinclosing the joint thus partly formed in metal, substantially asdescribed.

2. The method of' joining the separated ends ot a metal-coveredinsulated electric conductor, which consists in bringing together andpermanently securing the ends of the wire, then inelosing the saidconnected ends in insulating material, then inclosin g the saidinsulating material in a metallic shield, and finally molding over thejoint thus partly formed a metal sheath, joining the separated ends ofthe metal covering of the conductor, substantially as described.

3. The method of joining the separated ends of alead-covered insulatedelectric conductor, which consists in bringing together the ends of thewire and soldering them inside a metal ferrule, then inelosing the saidmetal ferrulc in a ferrule of hard insulating material and introducingthe ends ot the said hard insulating-ferrule into the adjacent ends ofthe lead covering of the conductor, and inclosing the joint thus partlyformed in metal, joining the separated ends of the lead covering ot' theconductor, substantially as described.

Al. The method ot j oining the separated ends of a lead-covercdinsulated electric cond uctor, which consists in bringing together theends of the wire and soldering them insidea metal ferrule, theninclosing the said metal ferrule in a ferrule of hard insulatingmaterial and introducing the ends of the said hard insulating-ferruleinto the adjacent ends of the lead covering of the conductor, theninclosing the said hard insulating-ferrule in a metal ferrule, andfinally molding over the joint thus partly formed a lead sheath, joiningthe separated ends of the lead covering' ot the conductor, substantiallyas described.

5. In an electric conductor formed of insulated wire inelosed in metal,means of joining separated ends of the conductor, comprising a metalferrule E, having soldered together inside it the ends of the wire andinclosed in insulating material, and a molded metal sheath I, extendingover the separated ends ofthe metal covering D ot the conductor,substantially as described.

G. In an electric conductor formed of wire inclosed in insulating-tubingcovered with lead, means for joining' separated ends of the conductor,comprising a metal lfcrrule E, having soldered together inside itI theends of the wire, a terrule F, of insulating-tubing, inclosing theferrule E, and extending at opposite ends into the respectively adjacentends of the lead covering D, a metal ferrule lr, inclosing the ferruleF, and a molded lead sheath I, enveloping the terrule G and cx tendingover the separated ends of the lead covering D, substantially asdescribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence ottwo witncsses.

HENRY I3. COBB.

"Witnesses:

DOUGLAS DYnENron'rH, BRUCE S. ELLIOTT.

